


Under Attack

by ukulelefoot



Category: Holby City
Genre: Babysitting, F/F, Fluff, Found Family Feels, anyway i just love this dynamic, well kinda child-sitting bc evie's not exactly a baby is she
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-31
Updated: 2017-08-03
Packaged: 2018-11-07 08:33:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,313
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11055252
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ukulelefoot/pseuds/ukulelefoot
Summary: Berena + Fletchlings + a hot summer's day





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So I started writing this like 3 months ago and finally finished it, so here you go.

“TAKE THAT, MAJOR!”

Serena flinches when Mikey yells right next to her ear, having just managed to hit Bernie square in the face.

She and Bernie agreed to look after the Fletchlings readily enough. They’re delightful children and Serena is always thrilled to spend time with them, especially when glorious sunshine is forecast for them to enjoy. However, she did falter a little when Fletch dropped them off before his shift that afternoon with a cheeky grin on his face and a blow-up paddling pool, swimming costumes, and beach towels in a big, bright bag.

Bernie had almost killed herself trying to inflate the pool before Serena realised what she was doing and wordlessly tossed a hand pump at her.

Now, Bernie is being attacked from all sides by children with water pistols and all she has to defend herself with is one that leaks and has a measly jet. Serena may have had a hand in that - she let the kids have first pick while Bernie was changing into her rather fetching navy blue swimsuit, a colour not unlike her scrubs.

“Oh, you’re in for it now!” Bernie retorts as she runs back over to the pool, where Serena is giving Theo a hand filling his water pistol back up. “Bloody thing,” she mutters when it takes an age to reload. Serena finishes up with Theo and encourages him to go and spray Evie where she’s hiding behind a bush before turning to Bernie and smirking at her.

“Need a hand, darling?” Serena says in a cutesie voice. Bernie stops what she’s doing and swings her legs over the side of the pool to sit next to Serena for a moment while the leaky weapon slowly fills up and while she catches her breath.

“You could always help,” Bernie pants with a big grin, hand finding Serena’s knee under the water and giving it a gentle tickle.

“One, I have little to no aim, as you very well know,” Serena starts, seeing Bernie’s eyes flicker with the memory of Serena trying and failing to chuck a pillow at her on multiple occasions. “Two, there are no more water pistols.”

“We could always share.” Bernie pouts and gets a signature eyebrow raise in return.

“Three, I’m comfortable here and I like watching you play with the kids.” She gives Bernie a shy smile.

“Fiiiiiine,” Bernie sighs in mock resignation and drops a kiss to Serena’s temple before jumping out of the pool and going on the hunt for Mikey, disappearing around a corner.

Ella climbs into the pool next to her and smiles up at her.

“You ok, cherub?” she asks, wrapping an arm around her. Ella nods. For all her siblings’ loudness, Ella is a quiet soul. A little bit clingy, too. She’s been running around with everyone else for the last half an hour, but Serena can see that she’s flagging.

“Who’s winning?”

“Dunno,” Ella says absent-mindedly before coming back to herself and grinning at Serena. “Bernie _definitely_ isn’t.”

Serena giggles with her and hears that Bernie’s found Mikey when he lets out a piercing scream.

“No, she’s no match for all of you in a water fight!”

Evie runs past and Serena flicks water at her, earning her a water jet aimed at her arm.

“Just because your girlfriend is losing, doesn’t mean you have to turn against me,” Evie laughs.

“I think it’s the least I deserve,” Bernie calls from where she’s lying on the grass with Theo on top of her, spraying her and making gun noises.

Serena looks over her shoulder at Bernie and Theo, huge smiles on both of their faces. Bernie’s hair is splayed out around her head and she’s got grass all up her legs and Serena’s breath catches for a moment when their eyes meet across the garden.

“Someone save me!” Bernie wails playfully, and Serena finally gives in. She pushes herself up and marches over to grab Theo and lift him up into the air. He squeals in delight and Serena sets him down on the grass so he can rush off to find his next victim.

“Give us a hand.” Bernie holds her arm out so Serena can help her up, but then Bernie’s eyes twinkle and suddenly Serena is on the floor, half-laying on Bernie.

“Can’t believe I fell for that,” she mumbles, starting to get up so she can make sure the kids aren’t killing each other. Bernie holds her tight. “Curse your superhuman strength.” Bernie catches her lips in an enthusiastic kiss. “Bless your superhuman strength,” she mumbles against Bernie’s mouth.

“Easily swayed,” Bernie smirks.

“Don’t you know it.”

Just as their lips touch again, they hear Evie whisper loudly.

“Ella, leave them a minute!”

Serena turns over and spots Ella hovering over them.

“It’s all right,” she calls to Evie, then looks back to Ella. “What is it?”

Ella, rather than replying, climbs over them and sets herself down between Serena and Bernie. Serena beams at Bernie over Ella’s head and lets a minute or so pass before she leans towards Ella with a conspiratorial glint in her eye.

A little birdy told me that there are ice lollies in the freezer,” she whispers. Ella’s eyes light up and Serena glances at Bernie, grateful that her partner had had the foresight to buy some choc ices. “I don’t suppose you want one.”

"I DO!” Ella squeaks. It’s the loudest she’s been all afternoon and Serena jumps a bit at the volume.

Bernie clambers into the upright and jogs over to the pool, where Evie and Mikey are gently splashing about with Theo.

“Right, you ‘orrible lot,” she grins, flicking water at Mikey. “Who wants an ice lolly?”

Theo practically flings himself at Bernie with a scream and she catches him, picking him up and planting him on her hip.

“Calm down, soldier!” She widens her eyes at Serena as she deposits Ella in the pool on the way to the kitchen. “Being loud won’t make it appear any quicker!”

Serena has distributed the lollies and they’re all sitting on the soggy grass, Ella leant up against Serena’s side and Theo sprawled over Bernie’s lap, his ice cream dripping melted chocolate all over his hands and Bernie’s thigh. Evie and Mikey are deep in conversation with Bernie about something to do with desert sand - Serena’s not really listening, she’s just content to enjoy the sunshine and the smile Bernie gives at the pure delight on Theo’s chocolate-covered face.


	2. Chapter 2

After the ice creams are finished, there's another quick round of the waterfight - Serena joins in this time, very much on Evie’s side and very much against Bernie - before it starts getting a little bit chilly.

Serena and Bernie round up the kids and hose them down in the shower. Theo interprets this as round three and gets rather over-excited when Bernie flicks the spray at him. (This earns her an eyebrow raise from Serena, which she just counters with a face full of innocence.)

Kids clean and back in their clothes, Serena settles them down on the sofa in front of _Hotel Transylvania_ while Bernie goes to clean herself up.

Serena's got a cup of coffee waiting for Bernie when she reappears, along with a soft smile.

“Shower’s free,” Bernie says quietly. “Take as long as you want, I’ll make tea.”

Serena gulps down the dregs of her coffee before sauntering over to Bernie and kissing her lazily.

“Thank you.”

She looks at Bernie for just a moment longer, she's flushed and glowing from all the activity this afternoon and Serena’s heart melts a little. She raises her hand and trails her fingers down Bernie’s cheek.

“I love you, Bernie.”

Bernie blushes, still not quite used to being this cherished.

“I love you, too,” she whispers with a shy smile.

Serena finally, reluctantly, drags her eyes away from Bernie’s and goes off to shower.

Bernie shakes herself out of her loved-up teenager moment and pops into the front room to check on the kids. She grins when she spots Theo pretending to be a zombie. He’s really going for it and Mikey is giggling at him. Ella is snuggled up on Evie’s lap - sucking her thumb, but she looks so happy that Bernie just can't bring herself to reprimand her.

Once she's content that the kids are ok, she wanders back into the kitchen to start on the pasta bake.

Serena plods down the stairs just as Bernie has shut the oven door and started the timer on her phone.

“Should be about twenty minutes,” she says, inviting Serena in for a hug.

Serena steps into her arms, closes her eyes, breathes Bernie in, and heaves out a big sigh. She presses a kiss to Bernie's jaw, one to her cheek, then a long one to her lips.

“Go and sit with the kids for a bit. I’ll take over here.” She pushes Bernie towards the door and, at Bernie’s pout, adds, “I’ll be two minutes.”

Serena quickly sets the table, checks on dinner, then moves to the front room, grabbing Bernie’s phone on the way.

She pauses in the doorway to take in the picture before her. Bernie has somehow wormed her way into the middle of the pile of Fletchlings and has her arms encircling them all on the sofa.

“Room for one more?”

Bernie encourages Mikey and Theo to get up and let Serena get comfortable before they climb back on top of her.

Snuggled up into Bernie’s side and covered in children, Serena can't help thinking about the parallel universe in which she and Bernie met much earlier and have raised their children together. Then again, maybe they wouldn't have worked out had they met sooner.

“I can hear the cogs,” Bernie murmurs in her ear.

“Later,” Serena replies, receiving a hum in response, Bernie’s nose momentarily nuzzling her temple before her attention is drawn back to the film.

Count Dracula is being chased by flying tables when Bernie’s phone starts beeping. She springs into action and Serena smiles to herself.

“Right, then.” She pauses the DVD to moaning from Theo. “None of that please, you can watch the rest after we’ve eaten.”

Theo brightens up at that and speeds off into the kitchen.

“Incoming!” Serena calls to warn Bernie and hears a ‘careful, it’s hot - go and sit at the table’.

Serena herds the rest of the kids towards the table and goes to help Bernie dish up.

“Can you take those ones over?” Bernie indicates the two plates furthest away from her. “I just need to put extra cheese on for Evie and Mikey. Do you want extra?”

“Please, darling,” Serena calls over her shoulder.

Bernie brings the two kids’ plates then jogs back across the kitchen to fetch hers and Serena’s before settling down next to her, Theo on the other side of her.

He pokes her in the arm and she turns to him.

“What the green?” he asks, kneeling up on his chair.

“Sit back down,” Bernie says gently before answering. “It’s spinach.”

“What that?”

“They’re leaves.”

Theo screws his face up and puts his little fork on the table.

“No wanna eat leaves,” he says quietly.

Bernie glances at Serena, who gives her an encouraging nod and whispers, “Go for the Popeye argument.”

“Spinach,” Bernie says, taking his fork, “makes you big and strong. You want to be big and strong don’t you?”

Theo nods dubiously.

“Give it a try. You never know, you might like it.” She scoops up a bit of spinach, stabs a bit of pasta and offers him the fork.

He takes it and shoves it in. All or nothing.

“Yummy,” he grins, and Bernie blows out a relieved breath. She feels Serena’s hand find her thigh and squeeze.

“This is so delicious, Bernie,” Evie grins, getting as much in one forkful as she can, and Serena hums in agreement.

“Much better than mine,” she says, thumb stroking Bernie’s thigh. “Must be her magic touch.”

Bernie nearly chokes on a piece of pasta and blushes.

“You like it, sweetie?” Serena asks Ella. She gets a nod in response and reaches out to briefly stroke Ella’s hair.

Mikey has gobbled his portion down and sits back in his chair.

“That hit the spot,” he sighs, earning laughs from Serena and Evie.

“Glad you approve,” Bernie smiles.

By the time Ella’s finished - a slow eater, they're lucky she likes the food so much or they could have been there for hours - Mikey is getting impatient. He’s taken to riling up his little brother and Bernie has to physically restrain Theo from launching a full-on attack and inevitably coming off worse.

“Who would like a yoghurt?” Serena asks as she stacks the plates.

They all do, and they all eat sensibly. Well, that is until Theo manages to spill a spoonful all down his front.

Bernie reacts almost instinctively, using her own spoon to scrape it up before it reaches his trousers.

“Mucky pup,” she mutters.

“Nearly as bad as you,” Serena says.

Bernie turns to her slowly and shakes her head in mock-offence.

“Don’t argue, dear,” Serena smirks. “You know it’s true.”

Serena sends a wink in to Evie, who is watching them with a grin.

“You guys are so cute,” she says vehemently.

Serena links her hand with Bernie’s where it rests on the table and they share a gentle look. She smiles to herself when Bernie has to look away, the intensity too much to bear in company.

“I do believe we were halfway through a film.”

Theo scrambles down from his chair and runs back to the sofa, quickly followed by Mikey and Evie.

Serena picks Ella up and, in response to Bernie pointing at the washing up, shrugs her shoulders and says, “Leave it.”

Stomachs full and all cosied up under the huge blanket from the back of the sofa, they watch the rest of the film.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> for anyone who doesn't get the 'popeye' thing, he was a cartoon character who attributed his strength to eating a lot of spinach. my mum used to make me 'popeye pasta' - basically spinach-y pasta with cheese - which inspired my idea of the pasta bake :)
> 
> maybe one more chapter if my brain lets me write


	3. Chapter 3

It’s a miracle and Serena isn’t quite sure how it happened, but all four Fletchlings are in their pyjamas by 8pm.  She giggled as Bernie tried to remember which superhero it was that Theo had printed all over his pyjama bottoms until Evie exasperatedly said, “It’s Batman, Bernie.  He literally has a bat on his logo.”

Ella and Theo are sharing the bed in the spare room and Bernie shuffles in between them with a storybook, one child in each arm.  Hearing raised voices from downstairs, Serena leaves them to it and goes to keep Evie and Mikey from attacking each other.

They’re tucked up in their airbeds watching  _ Hercules _ when Bernie comes back down.

“Ok?” Serena whispers as she invites Bernie to sit next to her on the sofa.

“Soundo,” Bernie laughs.

The film ends and the kids tuck down, Serena pressing a kiss to each of their foreheads and murmuring a ‘night, darling’ into Evie’s hair, before joining Bernie in the kitchen.   She slips an arm around Bernie’s waist as they wait for the kettle to boil and nuzzles into the crook of Bernie’s neck, just breathing her in.

When the kettle clicks off and Serena goes to fetch the milk, Bernie fills the mugs and takes a deep breath.

“What were you thinking about?”  Serena hums out a questioning noise and furrows her brow.  “Earlier, when we were on the sofa,” Bernie clarifies.

“Oh, I just…”  She tries to shrug it off, but then thinks that, if it were the other way around, she’d want Bernie to be open with her, so she turns to face Bernie and tangles their fingers together.  “Do you ever wonder how it would have been, if we’d met earlier?  Had children of our own?”

Bernie’s eyes go soft and she dons a wistful expression.

“Yeah.”  A smile twitches at the corners of her mouth.  “I bet you were awful at being pregnant,” she says, and Serena huffs out a laugh, pours the milk into their teas and returns the carton to the fridge as she answers.

“I really was.  Didn't stop complaining for the entire eight months.  I was absolutely thrilled when she came early - once I knew she was fine, of course.  Don’t think I’d have managed for much longer.”  She comes back to stand in front of Bernie, lifts her mug to her lips and blows to cool it a little before taking a tentative sip.

“I had to be induced, the first time,” Bernie says quietly.  “Little bugger didn't want to come into the world.”  She smiles at the memory and takes a sip from her own mug in the pause that follows.

“I don’t know if I’d have coped with you being away for months on end,” Serena says cautiously, eyes wide and unsure.

Bernie takes her hand again and squeezes her fingers.

“I don’t know if I’d have had the resolve to leave you.”

She looks up at Serena with a small smile and soft eyes, places her mug back on the counter and leans in for a gentle kiss, only pulling back far enough to rest their foreheads together.

“I love you.”

“Good God, Wolfe, you’re a soppy one,” Serena smiles before she puts her mug down too, pulls Bernie close and strokes stray blonde curls behind her ears.  “I love you, too, darling,” she whispers against Bernie’s lips.

* * *

They weren’t expecting a lie-in, but nobody should see pre-6am without a very good reason.  So when Serena wakes up to a little person wriggling into bed with them, it takes a while for her to come to and realise that it’s not just Bernie shuffling in her sleep.

“Hello, sweetie,” Serena whispers into Ella’s hair where she’s snuggled into her neck.  “You ok?”

Ella’s already half-asleep as she nods, thumb firmly in her mouth and Floppy - her threadbare cuddly rabbit - firmly tucked up against her chest.

Serena draws her close and rearranges the covers a little before looking over at Bernie.  She’s sprawled out on her front with just an eye, a nose and three fingertips visible from underneath the duvet and the mop of hair.  It’s not her best angle, granted, but Serena finds it adorable and sneaks her feet over to touch Bernie’s, sneaks a hand over to lay on Bernie’s forearm.

The second time she’s awoken is at a much more reasonable hour, but by a lot less favourable means.  Theo is wailing as he enters their room, having woken up without Ella next to him.

Bernie does stir this time, a frown on her face in her sleepy haze.  Serena sits up and welcomes Theo onto the bed for a cuddle.  Ella, having momentarily lost Serena’s attention, turns to Bernie and pokes her in the shoulder, receiving a grumble in response.  This must be unsatisfactory, as Ella manoeuvres herself under Bernie’s arm and whispers right in her ear.

“Wakey wakey.”

Bernie cracks open an eye and finds herself with two more people in the bed than had got into it last night.  Serena’s rocking a now sniffling Theo and Ella is grinning up at her.

“Oh, hello,” Serena says sarcastically.

Bernie stretches and groans a little before sitting up, too.  She lifts Ella onto her lap and shuffles towards Serena until all four of them are tangled up in one big hug.

“Anyone for breakfast?” Serena asks brightly, then drops her voice to an exaggerated whisper as she leans towards the kids.  “Bernie bought Coco Pops.”

Two seconds later, they’re being dragged out of their bed by a pair of bouncing children.

They find Evie in the kitchen and exchange ‘good morning’s.  She’s found herself a glass of apple juice and is reading something on her phone at the table.  Serena walks over to her and presses a kiss to her head, leaving Evie trying and failing to suppress a huge grin.

“Sleep well?” Bernie asks, and Evie’s expression suddenly turns melodramatically pained.

“I think Mikey could give Dad a run for his money in a snoring competition.”

“Oh dear,” Serena says through a laugh.

“Daddy snore like efferlan,” Theo squeaks.

“E-le-phant,” Serena corrects.

Serena goes to sort out their breakfasts while Theo repeats ‘e-le-phant’ over and over again (mostly successfully) and Bernie goes to check on Mikey.

She finds him almost cocooned in his blanket - Spiderman, Bernie managed that one - and snuffling quietly.

“Mikey,” she whispers, stroking his hair with her fingertips.  When he doesn’t respond, she repeats herself, slightly louder.  He grumbles and burrows further into his covers.

Bernie huffs out a laugh and squeezes his arm.

“There’s Coco Pops,” she says quietly.  He bolts upright with a grin plastered on his face, eyes still droopy and not quite focused.

“Spot on, Major,” he yawns, before pulling himself up and wobbling about, reaching out to grab Bernie for stability.

“Alright, there?”  She catches him under the arms and helps him into the kitchen.

“Good morning, young man!”  Serena chucks him under the chin as they go past, chucks Bernie under the chin too, earning her a tight smile.

“Coffee?” Serena asks.  Bernie joins her at the kitchen counter, one hand reaching for the bread and the other finding its way to rest on Serena’s hip.

“Please.”  Bernie yawns and pats Serena twice before taking two slices of bread and plonking them in the toaster.

“You should really have something more substantial for breakfast, darling,” Serena admonishes gently to a smiling eye-roll from Bernie.  “Need to keep your energy up, keep you big and strong.”  She winks and playfully squeezes Bernie’s bicep to enforce her point.

“Toast is what I want and toast is what I’m having,” she murmurs, smug grin on her face.

The kids manage breakfast without much fuss and then they are chivvied to get ready to go home.  Serena does her best Mary Poppins impression - ‘spit spot’ - and her eyes widen in surprise when Bernie recognises the reference.

* * *

 

Serena has left Bernie and Mikey in charge of teeth-cleaning with the little ones and she goes back downstairs to find Evie.

“All packed?” she asks brightly as she enters the living room.

Evie looks up from her phone with a lopsided smile and nods.

“Thanks for having us.”

Serena sits next to her on the sofa and slides one arm around her for a sideways hug.

“You are more than welcome, darling.  I think we had as much fun as you lot did!” she laughs.  They hear a squeak from upstairs and Bernie calling Theo’s name.

“Are you sure we aren’t too much for Bernie?” Evie says seriously as Mikey comes barrelling down the stairs followed by Bernie with Theo on her hip and Ella trailing behind her.

“She’s loved having you here, honestly.”  Serena grins.  “Keeps her young,” she stage-whispers, so she know Bernie will be able to hear her.

“ _ TWO _ months, Campbell!” Bernie says, mock-annoyed.  “And I could beat you in a fight.”

“Oh, I know,” Serena drawls deeply, that eyebrow raise knocking Bernie for six even though she’s seen it a thousand times before.

“Right.”  Bernie puts Theo down on Evie’s lap (he’s still trying out the word ‘elephant’ and Serena smiles broadly at him) and turns her attention to Ella.  “Have you checked your bag?  Made sure you’ve got everything?”

Ella nods and pats her ladybird rucksack just as there is a knock on the door.

“Daddy!” Theo screams, scrambling down from Evie’s lap and running into the hall before either Serena or Bernie have moved.

Bernie goes to open the door and Theo immediately throws himself towards Fletch.

“Alright, little man!” he laughs as he picks his son up.  “Alright, Major.”

“Come in, come in!” Serena shouts from the sofa.  Bernie smiles and moves aside.

Once he’s kindly refused a cuppa and thanked Bernie and Serena, Theo still firmly on his hip, he bends down to take up Ella in the other arm.

“Let’s leave these ladies in peace, now, eh?” he says, walking to the front door.  Evie picks up the little ones’ bags as well as her own and kicks Mikey so he gets up and follows.

There’s a chorus of ‘bye’s as they leave and Serena holds the door open as Fletch gets them all into the car.  After chucking all of the bags in the boot, Evie says something to her dad and runs back up the garden path, only hesitating for a second before Serena beckons her in for a hug.

“You know where I am,” Serena murmurs in her ear.  Evie pulls back and nods, looks to Bernie and leans in for a hug with her, too.

“See you soon,” Bernie smiles as she squeezes Evie’s shoulder.

They wave after the car until it turns the corner then shut the door behind them and flop down on the sofa, limbs tangled.

“Okay?”  Serena catches Bernie’s fingers in her own and plays idly with them.

Bernie sighs and closes her eyes, a small smile on her lips as she nods.  Her fingers tighten around Serena’s before she blindly aims a kiss at a soft cheek and snuggles her nose into a warm neck.

“Don’t get too comfy, soldier,” Serena murmurs against Bernie’s forehead.  “I need your muscles.”

Bernie slowly sits up with a glint in her eye and Serena gives her an impressive eye roll.  She pecks a kiss to Bernie’s lips and holds her chin.

“To make the house look presentable again.  Honestly, Bernie, you have a one-track mind!”

She starts to push herself up off the sofa and squeals when Bernie’s arms pull her back again, lips finding her neck and making her squirm.

“BERNIE!” she giggles.  “Bernie, stop it.”

She does, smug grin plastered on her face.

“I love you,” Bernie sing-songs.  Serena manages to stand this time and leans back down over her.  She leans in as if to kiss Bernie, but stops short just millimetres away.

“Tidy. Up.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this took a while and i'm not quite happy with it but i just needed to finish it. berena + fletchlings will always be something i wish we'd seen more of bc it is so cute.


End file.
